BUC BASEBALL FALLS AT #6 McLENNAN, 6-3

The Buccaneers’ pitching staff held McLennan to one run in seven innings

WACO, Texas — Although Blinn College baseball held the lead for the majority of the game, No. 6 McLennan Community College stormed back in the eighth inning to steal the lead and eventually pick up a 6-3 victory on Monday afternoon in Waco.

With the non-conference loss, the Buccaneers’ record drops to 9-7 overall and stays at 5-1 in Region XIV play.

Blinn kept the bats swinging as Hunter Trinidad, Zach Cherry, Gray Rodgers, Jacob Miller, Cameron Gibbons and Brandon Ashy each manufactured one hit in the game. Miller and Gibbons each drove in a run, while Trinidad, Rodgers and Ashy each scored.

Brice Armistead gave the Buccaneers a solid start on the mound and only surrendered one run on one hit in four innings of work. Kyle Sweeney and Chance Norman were phenomenal out of the bullpen for Blinn. Sweeney surrendered three runs on four hits, while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings, while Chance Norman only surrendered one hit in 2/3 innings.

The Buccaneers scored two runs in the first inning and held the lead until the bottom of the eighth. After Ashy and Trinidad led off the first inning with back-to-back singles and Cherry walked to load the bases, Ashy scored on a wild pitch. Rodgers followed with a walk to load the bases up again and Miller hit a one-run single for Blinn to take a 2-0 lead.

McLennan only manufactured one run in seven innings after Keaton Milford stole home to cut Blinn’s lead in half 2-1 in the fourth inning.

Blinn pulled ahead 3-1 after scoring one run in the eighth inning. Rodgers scored Blinn’s final run on a bunt-single off the bat of Gibbons.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, McLennan’s offense stormed back with five runs to take the lead for the first time in the game. The first run scored after Blinn walked the bases loaded. With the bases still loaded, McLennan’s Chase Sorter drove in two runs with a single to even the score. Two more runs scored on an error during the same play for McLennan to lead 6-3 heading into the final inning.

Cherry hit a single in the ninth inning, but was left stranded as Blinn fell.

Blinn will resume conference play on Thursday, March 8 against Alvin Community College at 1 p.m. on the road.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.